The present method according to the invention and the present apparatus according to the invention relate to orientation assistance in a virtual environment.
During a navigation in a virtual environment presented on a display unit, particularly during navigation in geographical maps that takes place using a plurality of different scales, a respective user can easily become disoriented, particularly when a small screen is used as the display unit.
In the related art today, digital map material is presented on a screen in different sizes and resolutions. This always involves the user selecting a particular map detail for presentation. This is accomplished either by moving the whole map in the background in relation to a detail that is visible on the screen or by moving the detail itself over the whole map. As additional interaction options in comparison with conventional navigation maps in printed form, the user can set a desired map scale or a zoom level in order to increase or reduce the level of detail for a current view.
US 2009/0046111 A1 discloses a method for computing route guidance in road traffic that comprises the following:    a) determining the user's own position and autonomously executing a first working mode;    b) autonomously changing the scaling of the route guidance that is presented on a display unit, i.e. changing the scaling on the basis of the frequency by which the user's own position changes and/or    c) autonomously changing the scaling of the route guidance that is presented on the display unit by manipulating the display unit, based on the user's own position and taking into account properties of the respective route guidance when a second working mode is selected.
Furthermore, US 2009/0046111 A1 has provision for the respective user to be able to choose between two working modes, the first mode providing a detailed representation of the current position on the respective route guidance and the second mode affording an additional overview of a section of the respective route guidance that is still to be negotiated. In this case, the respective user can choose between the two modes at any time without restriction by controlling the display.
In addition, DE 10 2005 052 878 A1 discloses a method for presenting graphic information on a display that involves, in a first mode, an object having variable geographical coordinates and a first map detail, which comprises the geographical coordinates of the object, being presented on the display, wherein the geographical coordinates of the objects are assigned to a predefined position of the display when the presentation on the display is updated. In addition, a second mode is disclosed that involves a map detail being presented on the display in unaltered form while the geographical position of the object changes. This second mode therefore avoids map scrolling with an associated high system encumbrance. In this case, a change between the first and second modes can be initiated automatically or manually, the change being able to take place both from the first mode to the second mode and vice versa.
DE 10 2007 108 073 A1 discloses a method for displaying a digital map in a vehicle by a display, wherein a display region of the display can be altered for presentation of a digital map. This is accompanied by the explanation that the presented scale of the digital map remains unaltered when the size of the display region changes. This avoids fresh computation and goes easy on capacities of the computation unit.
A method for vehicle navigation by a roadmap displayed on a display is disclosed in DE 199 09 385 A1. In this case, at the beginning of a journey, determination of the vehicle position and input of the destination of travel initially display a roadmap having such a scale that it displays the vehicle position and the destination of travel. During the journey, as the destination of travel is approached to an increasing degree, the map scale of the map presentation is automatically enlarged such that the full size of the display can always be used to identify the destination of travel and the respective vehicle position on the roadmap.
For orientation of a respective user in a virtual environment presented on a display unit, particularly in geographical maps, difficulties frequently arise when using the related art after a map detail under consideration has been repeatedly displaced. By way of example, it is thus difficult to search for a simple connection between a destination presented in a currently selected map detail and a starting point, i.e. a current location, for example, that is not presented in the currently selected map detail.
Similarly, rough estimation of a distance, for example a linear distance, between a current location and points within the currently selected map detail is an ongoing difficulty if the current location is not visible. Coarse determination of a length of a circuitous route via points within the currently selected map detail is also frequently impossible if the whole route is not visible. In the case of conventional printed maps, although the scale cannot be selected without restriction, it is possible to use a very large map region in comparison with digital maps in which the image detail is limited by the size of the respective screen. This allows very simple orientation and ascertainability in respect of distance and route guidance between an arbitrary number of points.